Ongoing trail work in the Town of Porter should start wrapping up soon, it
was announced at Tuesday’s Redevelopment Commission meeting.

RDC attorney Gregg Sobkowski said the long-awaited closing finally took
place on land the town purchased at the corner of Howe Road and U.S. 20
needed to complete access to the Brickyard Trail pedestrian bridge over the
four-lane highway.

Porter director of development Mike Barry said hopefully construction can be
completed soon.

Work is continuing on the Orchard Pedestrian Way hike/bike trail along
Woodlawn Avenue, Waverly Road and through Hawthorne Park. Initial paving
should take place next week and sides/swales installed followed by an
asphalt top course.

Because the pedway will eliminate on-street parking in a block of Franklin
Street, the RDC gave Barry authority to accept a proposal not to exceed
$18,000 to repave an alley behind the homes.

By a 3-0 vote with members Erik Wagner and Joe Simanski absent, the RDC also
approved minor change-orders to Porter’s portion of the Dunes Kankakee Trail
related to seeding and limestone.

Barry said the Indiana Dunes State Park portion of the Dunes Kankakee to the
South Shore bridge at U.S. 12 is almost completed, and its spur to the
Calumet Trail will be done shortly.

RDC member Jeannine Virtue said, “I’m really excited about these trails
being completed,” and she thanked Barry for his work on them.